Illuminated shoe

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, the Illuminated Shoe incorporates an Illumination Apparatus System. The base comprises a peripheral housing member and a sole. The PCB film upon which a plurality of individual LED lights are affixed and through which a battery is in communication. The PCB can also be used to assemble the LED lights for positioning on the sides of the shoes in a similar fashion as the soles. The peripheral housing member encases the sole. It should be noted that the illuminated shoe can be fabricated in a panoply of different styles such as high-top basketball shoes, or low-rise tennis shoes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the area of shoes, and more specificallypertains to a shoe capable of emitting light from a plurality ofregions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most people purchase shoes based upon two overarching criteria: fashionand function. For purchasers that place more emphasis on function,factors that can figure largely into their selection include safety,comfort, and how the personal morphologies of their feet match the shoe.And for the fashion-forward purchasers, style is the paramountcharacteristic.

One particularly fastidious type of functional purchaser are thejoggers, athletically-inclined people, and those whose jobs requireheavy-duty lifting and other strenuous activities. Among their chiefconcerns is alerting drivers at night their presence to avoidcollisions. For this reason, many shoes are outfitted with reflectivesurfaces with the goal of safety in mind.

For the more fashion-forward types, shoes which embrace a certain amountof panache is desired. Accordingly, many shoe manufacturers haveincorporated various lighting mechanisms within their shoes to offer aunique look for their shoes at night.

As such, what is needed in the marketplace is a shoe which offers bothsafety, and aesthetic qualities to appeal to a wide range of people.Such a shoe should offer the safety of jogging at night throughilluminated means to alert oncoming cars of their presence. And alongthose same lines, such a shoe should also enable a unique way ofemitting those lights.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, the Illuminated Shoe includes a series of light arrayareas. One light array area is disposed around the sole of a shoe andsheathed in PCB film around the periphery of a person's feet. Otherarrays of lights may be disposed on regions above the sole, such as themid-portions of the shoe.

The features and advantages described in this summary and the followingdetailed description are not all-inclusive. Many additional features andadvantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in viewof the drawings, specification, and claims thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a plan view an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a plan view an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a plan view an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a plan view an element of an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a plan view an element of an embodiment.

The figures depict various embodiments of the present invention forpurposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readilyrecognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments ofthe structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a uniqueIlluminated Shoe is used to provide a series of illuminated lightsaround a shoe for the purpose of fashion, or safety precautions forjoggers or pedestrians. The present system is described in enablingdetail below.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an Illuminated Shoe 100 in accordance withone embodiment. In one embodiment, the Illuminated Shoe 100 includesShoe 101, and Illumination Apparatus System 102. The system isillustrated in FIG. 4

The shoe comprises a base 110, a first covering 111 and an uppercovering 112. FIG. 2 illustrates that the base comprises a peripheralhousing member 113 and a sole 114. Also illustrated in FIG. 2 is the PCBfilm 565 upon which a plurality of individual LED lights are affixed andthrough which a battery is in communication. FIG. 6 illustrates that PCB575 can also be used to assemble the LED lights for positioning on thesides of the shoes in a similar fashion as the soles. The peripheralhousing member encases the sole. It should be noted that the illuminatedshoe can be fabricated in a panoply of different styles such as high-topbasketball shoes, or low-rise tennis shoes.

As seen in FIG. 4, and in FIG. 1, the illumination apparatus systemcomprises a switch 115, a USB connection apparatus 116, at least onebattery wire 117, at least one battery 118, at least one LED FunctionController 119, at least one LED Function Controller wire 120, a sidepanel LED series 121, at least one LED Series Wire 122, and a peripheralsole illumination apparatus 123. The switch controls when it is poweredon or off. FIG. 5 illustrates in an embodiment how the LED lights areplaced in communication with each other. FIG. 4 illustrates that invariations of an embodiment a plug 155 for battery recharging is incommunication with the USB connection apparatus.

FIGS. 10-13 illustrate that the switch 115 is disposed within the tongue785 of the shoe. The switch 115 contains an LED element 195 disposedtherein and draws current from a wire 785 as it is in communication withthe LED Function controller.

The LED Function controller controls the frequency of the pulses oflight when the lights are illuminated in a flashing, or similarpulsating bursts. It should be noted that the LED Function controllermay enable the peripheral LED lights to continuously illuminate as well.Various types of pulses can be ordered which may appear that the lightsare moving or traversing from one end of the shoe to the opposite end.Other programmed rhythms may be incorporated as well.

FIG. 2 illustrates in one embodiment that the peripheral soleillumination apparatus comprises a film assemblage 125. The filmassemblage comprises a series of sole LED lights 126 which are disposedon a film and spaced from each other on the film 127. The film issandwiched between the peripheral housing member and the base. The filmis comprised of a transparent material which enables the light from theLED lights to pass so that the lights are visible to people. In someembodiments, the film is made of plastic materials. In otherembodiments, the film may be comprised of PCB.

FIG. 6 also illustrates that there may be several arrays 500, 501, 502of lights. Two arrays 501, 502 of lights may be disposed on both sidesof the upper covering and another array 500 of lights may be disposedonto the sole. Both arrays are sheathed in a transparent film. In otherembodiments, the arrays of lights may be disposed in other areas of theshoe.

FIG. 8-9 illustrates that implementations of the Illuminated Shoe mayinclude a power system substantially similar to the schematic. In anembodiment, the battery 527 is housed in the tongue 530 of the shoe. Inone embodiment, the battery is in communication with a connector forbattery recharging. And in various applications of the illuminated shoe,a battery IC chip 527 is used to prevent the battery from beingovercharged.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for the purpose of illustration. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms hereindisclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the foregoingteachings. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention belimited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A Illuminated Shoe comprising: a Shoe, and anIllumination Apparatus System; the shoe comprises a base, a firstcovering and an upper covering; the base comprises a peripheral housingmember and a sole; the peripheral housing member encases the sole; theillumination apparatus system comprises a switch, at least one batterywire, at least one battery, at least one switch, at least one switchwire, a side panel LED series, at least one LED Series Wire, aperipheral sole illumination apparatus; the peripheral sole illuminationapparatus comprises a film assemblage, the film assemblage comprises aseries of sole LED lights which are disposed on a film and spaced fromeach other on the film; the film is sandwiched between the peripheralhousing member and the base.
 2. The Illuminated Shoe of claim 1 furthercomprising a USB connection apparatus.
 3. The Illuminated Shoe of claim1 wherein the film assemblage is comprised of PCB Film.
 4. TheIlluminated Shoe of claim 1 further comprising a battery IC chip.
 5. TheIlluminated Shoe of claim 1 wherein the system is capable of emittinglight from the LED's in bursts.
 6. The Illuminated Shoe of claim 1wherein the shoe further comprises a tongue; the switch is disposedwithin the tongue.